The atomic force microscope (AFM) may be used to produce three-dimensional images of a surface with the resolution of the nanometer level. There are two types of AFM. One is the “scanning-sample type” atomic force microscope and the other is the “scanning-probe type” atomic force microscope. In a scanning-sample type AFM, the sample is moved when it is scanned and the probe is kept stationary. Problems in moving or positioning the sample arise when the sample is large or heavy. In addition, temperature control, such as heating or cooling, of the sample may also affect the performance of the piezoelectric scanner of the AFM, which is provided beneath the sample. For samples in liquid cell, such as biomolecules, it is difficult to obtain correct images by using a scanning-sample type AFM, since samples move during the scan.
The scanning-probe type, or stationary sample type, AFM in which the probe scans the sample while the sample is kept stationary, is designed to solve the above problems. In order to achieve such a goal, one approach is to let the whole optical detecting system move along with the probe. However, the optical detecting module, including the laser diode (LD), the photo sensing device (PSD), the alignment mechanism and the frame structure that supports the optical configuration, is often too bulky and too massive to move with the scanner. Moving the whole module to scan the sample is proved not ideal. Many experts have tried to solve this problem by reducing the weight of the optical detecting module.
Another approach is the “tracking lens method” presented by Jung et al. See Jung et al., “Novel stationary-sample atomic force microscope with beam-tracking lens”, Electron. Lett., Vol. 29, No. 3, pp. 264-266, 1993. Under such a design, however, the tracking error will limit the resolution of the microscope. For an ideal optical tracking system, when the laser beam emitted by he stationary laser diode perfectly tracks the moving probe, signals picked up by the photo sensing device shall reflect only the deflection of the probe, not the scanning motion. If the PSD signal varies during the scanning while deflection of the probe is null, false deflection or optical tracking error is generated.
In order to reduce the false deflection, a one-dimensional beam tacking method that makes the PSD move synchronously with the probe was introduced by Kwon et al. See Kwon e al., “Atomic force microscope with improved scan accuracy, scan speed and optical vision”, Rev Sci. Instrum., Vol. 74, No. 10, pp. 4378-4383, 2003. Another solution was proposed by Hansma et al. to position a convex lens before the PSD to reduce false deflections. See Nansma et al., “A new, optical-level based atomic force microscope”, J. Appl. Pys., Vol 76, No. 2, pp. 796-799, 1994. In these systems, however, the tracking function applies to false deflections in the horizontal directions but not in the vertical direction. A three-dimensional beam tracking system provided with tracking mirrors was later proposed by Nakano to compensate the false deflection. See K. Nakano, “Three-dimensional beam trucking for optical lever detection in atomic force microscope”, Rev. Sci. Instrum., Vol. 71, No, pp. 137-141, 2000. In that system, the working distance from LD to the reflection point, of the probe changes during the scanning. However, the intensity signal of the beam varies if some portions of the beam fall-off the probe due to defocusing of the laser spot on the probe, whereby the shape of the reflected beam will be warped on the PSD and the PSD position signal will he adversely affected.
In addition, a special type of twist-probe was proposed, wherein a large mirror portion is provided to reduce the fall-off. Under such a design, its installation will readily limit one dimension of the image size. Another disadvantage of the twist-probe rests in that its distance to the PSD varies during the scanning, whereby constant relation between the probe deformation and the PSD signal can not be guaranteed.